A friend of mine, who owns a small business, recently shared his plans to add his teenage daughter to his team as a summer intern. This sparked my curiosity about the dynamics that would unfold, particularly given that his father is also part of the small team. It made me think about how different generations working together might impact the business. With five distinct generations in today's workforce—Octogenarians, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials (Generation Y), and Generation Z—this topic is more relevant than ever.

The Generational Mix: Challenges and Benefits

The Workforce Spectrum

Today's workforce is remarkably diverse, spanning five generations and it presents unique challenges and benefits for businesses of all sizes, not just large corporations. Small business owners, like my friend, need to understand and navigate the complexities of a diverse team to harness its full potential.

Challenges of a Multigenerational Team

Communication Styles: Different generations often have varied communication preferences. For example, Baby Boomers might prefer face-to-face interactions, while Gen Z is more comfortable with digital communication.

Work Ethic and Values: Older generations might value loyalty and job security, while younger generations may prioritize flexibility and creative opportunities. These differing values can lead to misunderstandings or conflicts if not enhanced properly.

Technological Proficiency: Younger employees tend to be more tech-savvy, which can create a gap with older employees who might struggle with new technologies.

Benefits of a Multigenerational Team

Diverse Perspectives: A mix of generations brings a wealth of perspectives, leading to more innovative and creative solutions.

Knowledge Sharing: Younger employees can help older ones with technology, while older employees can share their extensive industry experience.

Improved Problem-Solving: Diverse teams are often better at problem-solving due to their varied viewpoints and approaches.

Strategies for Bridging the Generational Gap

There are many ways business owners and executives can bridge the gap between the different generations in their workplace. I will focus on three of these strategies that I have found to be helpful in my experience over the years.

Creating a Purpose-Driven Culture

Aligning your business with a greater purpose can unify a diverse team. Many successful companies, both large and small, integrate vision driven goals into their business strategies. Athleta, Nike, Starbucks, Target, and Tom’s are just a few that come to my mind and I am sure you can think of others.

This method of creating a sense of unity in the workplace is not only effective with big companies, small businesses can leverage community-driven approaches to bring their teams together. Volunteering or sponsoring local events can foster a sense of shared purpose and collaboration.

To create even more unity and a greater commitment to the project, ask your team for ideas. They might be involved in a nonprofit or charity outside of work or can help identify a need in the community. Opening up the discussion about which causes or groups to support not only shows your employees that their ideas are valuable, it also shows you what is of value to your employees. Even simply learning this type of information about one another can create unity among your team members and can help you discover more about the people working with you.

Leveraging Individual Strengths

It's important to place employees in roles that align with their strengths and passions. It’s good for business, team morale, and company culture when employees are provided with opportunities to shine.

For example, younger employees may excel in roles that involve technology and innovation. These tasks might come more naturally to them because they grew up with it. They may also be more willing to try out new technology than older employees. Give them the opportunities to put these skills and interests to work for you.

Also consider ways you can encourage these team members to teach others who may be more resistant to new ways of doing things. Having a chance to display their knowledge can be a confidence booster as well as a motivator.  

Now consider your team members of older generations, who might thrive in mentoring or strategic roles. There are many ways in which they can draw from their experiences to help move the business forward. When working on strategic plans, for example, allow them the opportunity to contribute to and perhaps even lead certain parts of the discussions.

By acknowledging and utilizing the unique skills each generation brings, businesses can create a more productive and motivated team. And, encouraging these interpersonal relationships and interactions is another way to build unity, improve your workplace culture, and get the results you want.

Seeking External Guidance

There are often opportunities for unifying your diverse team, highlighting their experiences and leveraging their skills that you – as the owner of the business – may have trouble seeing on your own. When you’re in the thick of it, it can be difficult to identify where the gaps and opportunities are within your workplace – especially with a multigenerational team.

This is a common challenge among business leaders and executives, but it doesn’t have to be.

Connecting with a coach or mentor can provide valuable insights into managing a multigenerational workforce. A mentor can help identify strengths, address challenges, and develop strategies for effective collaboration. Their outside perspective can be instrumental in integrating diverse talents and ideas. This is one of my areas of expertise and a focus for my work with many clients. It’s always amazing to discover what opportunities you are missing, and ways to overcome challenges you may have resigned yourself to accepting.

Conclusion

The presence of five generations in today's workforce presents both challenges and opportunities for business leaders. By understanding the motivations of each generation, fostering team-building activities, aligning with a greater purpose, and leveraging individual strengths, businesses can create a unified and effective team. It all starts with understanding what motivates your teams and is of value to them both personally and professionally. As is often needed for true and sustainable progress, seeking the guidance of a coach or mentor can further enhance the process.

What strategies have you found effective in unifying and leveraging your multigenerational team? Send me an email at info@worklesscreatemore.com and let’s connect.

Maureen Considine is Founder and CEO of Finding Your Way Coaching. A Master Coach with expertise in Income Acceleration, Business Development, Sales and Mindset, Health and Healing, she is the Wealth Health Creation Strategist for entrepreneurs, executives, and other high performers. Maureen has over 25 years of experience in sales and marketing. She has helped hundreds of clients grow their businesses and reach their true potential using her unique, intuitive, and holistic approach. Maureen has a B.A. in Psychology, with training in mindset and the Psychology of Sales.